To Love the Sea
by MermaidPrincessAly
Summary: Two hundred fifty years ago a Mermaid Princess lost her Prince by a dark soul. She then meets a certain pirate Captain with a hook for a hand who lost his love in a similar way. What happens when they learn to love again and when an old promise of revenge and then a curse rips them both apart for 28 years before they can later be reunited? Rating may change later on.
1. First Encounters

**To Love the Sea**

**Disclaimer – I do not own the characters. I'm not making money off of this story. The story and characters belong to abc's Once Upon a Time. If I did happen to own it then Killian's boots would be under my bed every night…if you know what I mean haha ;] and I'd do very naughty things to that amazingly gorgeous pirate. Just so everyone knows Ariel looks like JoAnna Garcia, who has been casted as my favorite Disney Princess 3**

**Full Summary – Two hundred and fifty years before the curse is a story of a Mermaid Princess and a Pirate Captain. ****Ariel upon her husband's insistence brings him to the land of her birth, Neverland. There tragedy strikes and she**** loses her love by a dark soul's hands.****She then meets a certain pirate Captain with a hook for a hand who lost his love in a similar way. Unwilling to return to the sea to be with her family and morn the loss of true love she stays aboard the Jolly Roger with the infuriating Hook and his crew. What happens when after almost three centuries being around one another the two learn to love again? What happens to them when an old promise of revenge, and a curse rips them apart for 28 years before they can later be reunited?**

**Warning – This chapter contains Character death.**

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**Chapter One – First Encounter**

Ariel wasn't sure what possessed her to bring Eric here. To the land of her birth. Where nothing but the weather as well as the day changes. A land where time has no meaning and one simply does not age while there. A land that once night falls a chorus of heart wrenching sobs emanated from the youngest of the Lost Boys echoed throughout the island and out to the farthest reaches of the ocean. Neverland.

Despite warning Eric of the dangers the island posed he still wanted to see her world…or at least part of it. So here they were in the immense green tropical forest of Neverland. The smell of the trees mixed with the scent of the fresh water river streaming nearby. Ariel listened as Eric marveled at the lush greenery and the strange flowers he had never seen in the Enchanted Forest.

Her green brown eyes didn't pay much attention to the scenery, rather what lurked just beyond the trees. The mermaid's eyes often drifted to the sky keeping in mind how much daylight there was left and for a certain shadow figure to swoop down and attempt to steal her love's shadow, his very soul, and devour it.

"Ariel this place is amazing!" Eric stated as he turned to his wife noticing her slight wariness that melted partially at the praise of her world.

"I haven't really come up on the land when I lived here. Only really to the beach where some of human's lost things appeared so I could collect them," Ariel said with a smile before looking up once more. She noticed that the sun was quickly setting and soon night would fall. Not long after the crying would start, "I think it's time we go back to the beach and get back to the realm of the Enchanted Forest. It's nearly night time."

The mermaid nearly cursed out loud when the darkness came as soon as she uttered those words. It had been three years since she had been there. Time in the Enchanted Forest worked differently. She did not remember that the days in Neverland were so much shorter when it was fast approaching winter and the nights seemed to drag on endlessly. It was early summertime in Eric's realm.

Her hand reached for him as she stumbled forward slightly wanting to leave quickly. Even though she had been using legs for the better part of three years she still wasn't as graceful as she had hoped. As Eric's strong smooth hands steadied her the first mournful echoes filled the air.

"What is that? It sounds like children."

"It's the Lost Boys, the younger ones at least. Come we must go," Ariel urged as she tried to pull him back towards the direction they came.

"We must help them. They could be hurt Ariel…is this why you didn't want to be here after night fall?" Eric asked as he stepped away from her.

With a sigh she tucked a strand of her dark red hair from her face and avoided his dark blue eyes as she nodded, "It was one of the reasons. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist wanting to help the Lost Boys, if you tried—"

"If you tried then Pan would rip your shadow from you. Do you know how painful that is? Rrrriiippppp," The new comer stated as he emerged from the trees with a dark smirk upon his scarred face.

"Felix. We were just leaving. Peter has nothing to worry about," Ariel said as she moved in front of Eric as if you guard him.

Eric however had another idea and pulled Ariel behind him with his left hand as he drew his sword with his right pointing the blade at Felix defensively, "Who are you?"

"Why I'm one of the Lost Boys," Felix was otherwise unafraid of Eric as he held his own weapon, a thick and heavy branch that had a round uneven shape at the top, resting against his right shoulder. His stance was relaxed but still somehow seemed threatening. Maybe it was the dark and tattered hood shadowing his face, the wild look in his eyes, the x-shaped scar on the right side of his face, or all three combined.

"Eric, lets go. Please!"

He turned his head to her as she moved towards his left side taking in her pleading look. "You know we can't. I won't leave those boys behind. They need help."

Felix chuckled and brought the pairs eyes back to him. His own eyes raised and Ariel gasped in horror as her eyes drifted up as well to see the shadow figure Peter usually took changed to when he took flight. The glowing white eyes were focused on Eric as he came down and reached his hands into his back before pulling and extracting the Prince's shadow. Ariel was aware of her screams that filled the air and were drowned out slightly by the Lost Boys crying for their parents to rescue them.

Eric's limp body fell to the ground as Peter pulled his shadow away, to where she didn't know. Her hazel eyes stung and fat salty tears fell down her cheeks, raining down upon Eric's face as she bent over him crying for him to wake up. Ariel looked up again to see the shadow floating above her.

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him through her tears, "Y—you monster!"

"Now calm down mermaid. I'm sure Peter will give you a head start to run from here. You wanted to leave after all and that must've earned you some mercy in Pan's eyes."

Clouds formed seemingly out of nowhere as her anger was directed towards Felix who was sneering down at her, "At least let me take him back to his world so he can have a proper burial."

"You shouldn't have brought him here in the first place. Clock's ticking Ariel."

She turned her head down to her now dead husband. Was it only this morning he was laughing warmly and peppering her with kisses as he begged her to come here? With a soft kiss, that she hoped in vain would restore him back to the way he was, Ariel apologized to him. With a heart-tearing sob she stood shakily grabbing Eric's fallen sword and ran for the beach. If she got to the water she'd be safe.

The trees and bushes seemed to grab at her as she ran past. Thorns and branches pulling at the delicate fabric of her teal dress caused rips in the skirt. Twigs from the trees that descended like gnarled fingers would occasionally grab at her dark red curls that flowed like waves in the wind behind her. Through her blurred vision she could hardly make out the roots that seemed to jump up in attempts to trip her. Ariel, though she could hardly see, knew she was going the right way. She could smell the saltiness to the air that alerted her to the ocean that was not to far ahead of her. Faintly over the sobs the sounds of the waves kissing the shore could be heard.

Finally breaking through the brush Ariel gave another sob as the black waves beckoned to her. She was only a few feet away from the cold inviting water when her foot caught on a rock jutting out of the grayish sand. As she fell forward she cried out tossing the sword to her side not wanting to land on it and cut herself. Ariel's head collided with a thick trunk of beached driftwood as her body landed on the cool soft sand. Feeling dazed and the edges of her vision fading into blackness she tried pushing herself up and reached for the water before she felt forward again letting the seduction of the darkness overtake her.

* * *

The sound of wood creaking softly and the feel of the warm bed underneath her that smelt oddly of the sea and something sharper, that she couldn't quite put a name to, was what she first became aware of. Her eyes refused to open and her head felt as if it were split in half but she felt somewhat safe. Ariel sighed deeply with relief; her nightmare was just a dream. It didn't happen.

Footsteps echoed quietly around the room as they neared her alerting her to another's presence. She smiled but it turned into a grimace because of the pain from her temple as the bed dipped when he sat next to her. Her hand went slowly to her head but Eric's rough hand hindered her.

"Did I fall again? I just had the most horrible dream," Ariel said to Eric wrapping her hand with his frowning slightly. Her eyes were still not obeying her, remaining stubbornly shut as if they were sown closed. Ariel could not yet tell that it wasn't her love and if she could she was in deep denial trying to stay with the fantasy as long as she could. His smooth hands had more callus' than she remembered. While they bore some years of wielding a sword they were nothing compared to the large warm hand she now held.

"I'd love to hear about your dream lass, but first I'd like to know how you came to be here."

That was not her Eric's voice. Eric didn't have a deep British accent. If his voice was not his own and neither were his hands… Her eyes finally yielded to her will as she forced them open. Blinking a few times as her hazel orbs adjusted to the light of the cabin she realized where she was. Sitting up abruptly a wave of dizziness and nausea crashed over her. Letting go of the pirate's hand she lifted it to cover her mouth.

It wasn't a dream. It was very real and Eric. _Oh Eric!_ A sob wracked her body as she cried for her lost love. Pan had stolen his shadow and devoured it and forced her to run. She fell only just a few yards from the waters edge and passed out when she hit her head.

"N—o. Gods, no! It—it was real. Eric!" She cried into her hands wishing more then anything what had happened truly didn't. Ariel wished this was just some cruel dream. A dream cooked up by her mind when she had finally given in to showing Eric Neverland the night before.

"I don't do well with women crying…especially in my bed."

Her watery eyes lifted from her hands and she glared up at the pirate who smirked down on her. Any other time she would've marveled at how light a blue his eyes were, though now they seemed like the shallowest of waters. Ariel would have thought he was quite handsome for a pirate but he was mocking her grief. She hated everything about him. His ruggedly handsome features, his jet-black hair, his cocky smirk, but most of all she hated his light blue eyes. It was then she noticed his left hand was gone and in its place was a silver hook.

"Do not mock me sir!"

"I'll mock whoever I bloody please on my ship lass. Now how did you come to be here again?"

"How do you know I wasn't from here in the first place?"

"The only adults in this realm are the crew, the Native Indians, and myself. All my crew are men and you're far too pale to be an Indian. Now I won't ask again."

He held up his hook menacingly but she could see that he wouldn't hurt her, he couldn't. She'd been hurt enough on this night. His hook cutting into her flesh would be nothing in comparison. Though it did seem sort of ironic. Maybe her father would finally see her snared on a fish-eaters hook.

"I came with my hu—husband. We were on the island…then night came…and Pe—_Pan_ took Eric's shadow."

"Well he certainly doesn't like outsiders on his island," He stated as his tone softened. His blue eyes looked upon a woman who was like him. He had lost his love to a crocodile while this red haired beauty had just lost her own love to a similar fate, "What is your name lass?"

She looked at him confusion mixing in with her tears. Why was he all of a sudden being so nice to her? "Ariel."

"Well then Ariel. Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger love."

"And you? Who are you?"

"I am called Captain Hook."

"Alright _Hook_," Her brows rose before she looked at him with skepticism. Obviously it was just his nickname…and what a _creative_ nickname it was, at the moment she didn't care what his real name was. All Ariel cared for was wondering how she was going to get Eric's body back to the Enchanted Forest without Pan knowing she was back on land. She fell back against the bed as Hook left the cabin, her head in her arms as she morned her Eric's death with her dark red hair cascading over her arms like a waterfall of waves and her shoulders shook with sobs that wracked through her body.

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**I wanted to start off with how they met. I didn't want to kill Eric, I'm sorry! Don't hate me! The next chapter will take place in Storybrooke, before Emma gets there...I'm just going to summarize what happens when she gets there. Anyway I'm going to do flashbacks of Ariels past with Killian like the show...its gonna be mixed up. One chapter will be a few years later, then the next it might backtrack...something like that. Anyway Read and Review let me know how you like it.**

** - - Aly**


	2. Same old Storybrooke

**To Love the Sea**

**Disclaimer – Again, the story and characters belong to abc's Once Upon a Time. If I did happen to own it then Killian would be mine.**

**Oh! I forgot to explain, the thing about Peter devouring the shadows that he steals. They never explained what happens to them once the Shadow takes them in the show. So I just made that up as a way that he's able to make himself stronger. This is before Emma comes to town. I don't want to go through the whole season, I fear I might lose inspiration so I'll just sum it up, you've all seen the two season I hope haha(and hopefully you're watching the third every Sunday) so you already know what happens. I will time skip so we have Ariel and Killian reunited.**

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**Chapter 2 – Same old Storybrooke**

_ – Neverland 250 years ago –_

_Night had blanketed Neverland quickly. It had seemed as if they day had only just started. It was a sign that winter was quickly approaching once more. _

_Ariel was in her quarters, she couldn't sleep, recent events plaqued her mind. Racing through repeatedly not leaving room for much else. They were mainly about her feelings about Killian and what had transpired between them not a month ago and had happened again a few nights before._

_With a sigh she grabbed her thick blanket off the bed and left the small room. She continued up the steps where the frigid sea air blew in her face whipping her hair around and brought the comforting sounds of the waves as they rocked the ship peacefully. Most everyone on the ship was asleep so she was by herself on the deck._

_Her breath left her in a small cloud before a shiver wracked through her from the cold and she wrapped the blanket around herself. Quietly the redhead walked up the steps to the upper deck and sat down next to the railing at the stern of the ship. Her greenish-brown eyes focused on the water reflecting the moonlight. A lullaby came to the forefront of her mind. The song was one her mother used to sing to her and her sisters before she died._

_Absentmindedly she started to hum the lyrics while she pulled the blanket tighter around her. Ariel could almost imagine her mother's embrace as she closed her eyes. She neither heard nor noticed Killian standing a few feet from her listening to her hum quietly and look down into the water's dark depths._

* * *

The radio went off blaring out the lyrics of Mermaid by Train. Hazel eyes opened before turning her head to look at the time on her radio alarm. Lorelei let out a huff of air when she saw it was six in the morning. Time to get up and get ready for work at one of her two jobs.

Sitting up and running a hand through her red curls her eyes drifted to the silver fork resting with her other collected items, one of which was a ballerina that danced and played music when she twirled. Lorelei had gotten the antiques in her boss', Gold's Pawnbroker Shop, including the necklace that lay hung from the ballerina's outstretched arm. One day Gold had placed out the piece of jewelry by itself inside one of the glass cases. The moment her eyes had landed on the piece of nineteen black iridescent pearls each separated by small tubes of 14k gold it seemed to call to her as if she owned it in another life.

For some reason Mr. Gold gave it to her for free…well it wasn't for free she now owed him a favor and Lorelei was still a bit uneasy about that. Moving out of the bed she moved quietly around her apartment getting ready for her job. Luckily it wasn't at the Pawn Shop today but at Granny's. She had needed a second job in order to pay her rent and procure all the things she bought at the shop.

As she showered letting the hot water cascade down upon her, her thoughts drifted back to her dream. It was almost the same dream for as long as she could remember…well at least the same man haunted them for most of the night. His light blue eyes and devilishly good looks attracted her to him; the only thing off putting about him was the hook that replaced his left hand, but still it didn't scare her or make him any less attractive.

Why Lorelei was dreaming about Captain Hook from the Peter Pan stories was beyond her. Also why he looked so handsome and _familiar_ was something else that escaped her. Whenever she thought of the infamous pirate Captain James Hook she thought of the ugly cartoon character that sported a white frilly shirt under a long red coat with long black permed hair. Even Dustan Hoffman's rendition of the pirate fiend came to mind…not _him_. This man in her dreams had short black hair and while he sported a long coat it was black leather. He looked more like a pirate from The _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movies then the old codfish of the childhood story.

Shaking her head to get rid of the image of azure eyes Lorelei shut the water and proceeded to put on the white and red waitress uniform those who worked in Granny's Diner wore, except for Ruby who wore skimpier versions of the outfits. The outfit was mainly of a white shirt that had red accents and buttons along with her nametag upon it and whatever red bottoms to match. Lori pulled on her favorite red skinny jeans to go with the blouse and topped the look off with her favorite pair of slightly worn black leather boots that she always seemed to have.

With a small sigh Lorelei left her apartment near the docks to walk the small town streets of Storybrooke, Maine. She waved to those that she passed on her way to the diner as they greeted her. Reaching the diner she walked before Mayor Mills giving the woman a polite smile as passed and went up to the door. Entering she heard the argument between Ruby and Granny. Ruby was once again pissed she had to work the morning shift after staying out late the night before.

Taking in Ruby's outfit she noticed that her uniform shirt was unbuttoned at the top and tied at the bottom to show off some skin and her red shorts could hardly be seen under the short apron around her hips. How her rebellious friend could possibly be warm in next to nothing astounded the redhead.

The bell from the door opening was the only thing that really stopped them from continuing. Lorelei smiled as if she was oblivious to the argument and greeted them as she always did, through her hands, in American Sign Language. It was the only way Lorelei could really communicate besides writing things down. Luckily most of the town understood her when she signed. Her voice had left her after a vocal accident that she couldn't remember clearly anymore and had yet to come back no matter what she tried.

"Hey Lori," Ruby greeted with a mischievous grin as she brushed her hands through her red streaked hair, "Since its Friday and I'm _not_ working tomorrow morning want to go to out with me? Mary Margaret is coming too, Ashley would but she said she had night classes."

_"Yeah sure. I have the night shift at the Pawn Shop tomorrow so I don't have to be up earlier,"_ Lorelei informed her friend pretending not to notice Granny glare at her granddaughter and had one last word with Ruby, with which the latter rolled her eyes over, before walking to the back.

Ruby turned back to Lori, her heavily lined eyes that made her look a bit wolfish looked the mute girl over nodding in approval at her boots and skinny jeans, "You look good enough to eat Lori, though you should really unbutton your blouse a bit. It'll get you more tips. What?"

Lori laughed at the comment, mouth open, shoulders shaking, the breath leaving her as she did so was the only sound you actually heard. She signed to her friend once she calmed down though her shoulders still shook slightly, _"I don't think I can pull that off and well as you do Ruby."_

"Oh please you know you'd look hot. At least show off that body of yours and tie your shirt!"

_"I am not going to get fired by Granny for my clothes being too revealing. She can't fire you. You're her granddaughter."_

The bell rang bringing in the first customers of the day. She glanced at Leroy, the town drunk, as he took his spot in his favorite stool and Lori nodded her head to Ruby. Lorelei never handled Leroy most of the time he was too out of it to understand what she was saying, if anything at all, and he always got frustrated when she had to write her words down.

Several other people stopped in for their morning meals. Sheriff Graham got his morning coffee and left. Mary Margaret came in for her usual hot chocolate with cinnamon and the house pancake breakfast platter. It wasn't long until Henry Mills walked in and took a spot in his favorite booth.

Walking over Lorelei looked at the book of fairytales that he set down on the table. It was brilliantly labeled Once Upon a Time. Recently the ten year old had acquired the book and believed all the town's people to be characters from it. She smiled to the kid and signed to him though she knew his usual order.

_"Hey Henry. Let me guess the usual?"_

"Yes, Lori. Thank you," He said smiling up at her. As she turned to walk away his voice reached her ears once more and she turned back to him, "Hey Lorelei…do you like collecting things?"

That was a random question, her hand went to the pearls hanging from her neck before she answered,_"Yes, why?"_

His hand reached the book and she finally understood. He was trying to figure out what fairytale character she was supposed to be.

"How about swimming…and did you like to sing?"

She sat down across from him, a sad smile on her face. Lorelei knew that she used to sing, and the vocal accident had something to do with her losing her voice permanently. It still hurt to think about not being able to sing anymore, "_Yes, I love swimming. …I used to be able to sing too."_

His smiled made her cock her head to the side and raise an eyebrow as he pulled the book closer, "I knew it!"

_"So who am I from your fairytale book?"_

"The Little Mermaid," Henry stated as if he were saying that the sun was yellow and the grass was green.

Lorelei laughed once more bending over slightly. Nodding to the boy Lori didn't realize why it wasn't obvious before. When Ariel was human she gave up her voice to be with the man she loved…though in reality there was no Prince Eric, not for her. Not many of the men in Storybrooke were too keen on spending time trying to understand her. Letting Henry know his order would be out in a bit she walked off to see how other costumers were doing. Though she couldn't help herself as she began to wonder whom everyone else Henry thought was from the Disney cartoons. Lori had to stop herself from guessing when she started to spend too much thinking about it.

* * *

_She had finished the song a few minutes before, the images of her mother had left with them and she thought of Eric next, the second person to leave her and she couldn't do anything to stop it. Her hazel eyes gazed down at the inky black waves reflecting the light from the moon and stars, her eyes were focusing of the small black body of a fish jetting by to swim home. It had been a six years since his death. The mermaid still had nightmares about it some nights. _

_She had never been able to retrieve his body. Killian wouldn't let her. Especially what happened on the beach a week after her waking up aboard the Jolly Roger. Her eyes brimmed with tears at the memory._

_The sound of footsteps coming up behind her where she sat at the back of the ship behind the helm brought her out of the memory of that horrible day. She looked up to see Killian standing there staring at her intently. His azure eyes looked almost like lapis in the darkness. Most nights he'd find her there after she had awoken from her nightmare, though this night she was spared of it because of her restlessness._

_Her green-brown eyes met his blue ones, the eyes she used to hate but now became almost hypnotized by daily. She knew that though the tears hadn't fallen yet Killian would be able to see the shininess of them in the moonlight._

_"The nightmare again?"_

_"It's been fading but sometimes it just comes back so strong," Ariel lied, not wanting to have to explain to him her conflicted feelings, with a sigh. She didn't want to admit that the reason they had faded was because of her growing feelings for the pirate Captain before her and the reason they came back so strong was because of the guilt she felt for seemingly forgetting Eric so quickly._

_"My dreams of Milah's death didn't fade until a few years after that nightmarish day either," He lied smoothly not daring to admit that they started to fade completely when he laid his eyes upon the Princess who was still mourning the loss of her husband. Mentioning his old loves name Killian started to feel guilty. He felt as if he was betraying her memory by not having the nightmares of holding her as that vile Crocodile crushed her heart, those nightmares that fueled him on for his revenge. His hand clenched at the thought of Rumplestiltskin._

_"I just wish I had been able to bring him back to his kingdom so he could have a proper burial."_

_"Easy love. You're about to cause a storm," Killian stated as he kneeled in front of her reaching his hand up to wipe away a fallen tear. _

_Dark ominous storm clouds started to form and the waves smacked against the ship angrily like the slap of a woman's hand. She leaned her cheek into his hand calming immediately as she took a few deep breaths watching as they rose like smoke before they dissolved. They stayed like that for a few moments staring into each other's eyes, murky green holding cerulean blue._

_Lengthy minutes passed before Killian cleared his throat and stood pulling Ariel up with him as he walked her back to her quarters which had made up for her after the first month of keeping an eye on the little mermaid._

* * *

The next week Lorelei was once again working in Granny's diner filling orders and talking with Ruby between customers. She spoke with Henry who asked her if she knew anyone missing a hand. Lori nearly dropped the cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon on the floor as she was setting it down on the table before the young boy. The redhead covered her shock before he noticed and shook her head and retreating to other guests before Henry could ask any more questions.

Later on during the day Graham came in with Mayor Mills. Both looked concerned as they looked around the small red and white motif diner. They approached Ruby and Lori who stood behind the counter talking during a quick five-minute break. When Regina, who was sporting slightly red and glassy eyes, asked if they saw Henry Lorelei nodded immediately worried something had happened to him.

_"He was in earlier. Did something happen?"_ She asked her hands moving quickly almost making it impossible for the two to understand her.

Graham nodded, "He didn't show up at school and we couldn't find him anywhere around town."

"Henry hasn't been in since he had breakfast, if he comes back we'll call you," Ruby stated worried for the boy as well.

"Make sure that you do," Regina said somewhat harshly before she stormed out continuing to search for her son. Graham following after the woman with a quick apology to the two waitresses.

The two shared a worried comment over Henry before they were forced back to their duties of serving the patrons. Maybe Lorelei shouldn't have left him alone so quickly this morning. His question just shook her to her core.

It was a long day of working at Granny's then closing the Pawn Shop before she was able to truly rest. She sat up staring at the objects she collected her mind on Henry. Though she was almost positive he was okay she couldn't help but feel guilty like she should've told him the truth about the man missing a hand. It was unexplainable but Lori knew that the things around Storybrooke were about to get shaken up and things would never be the same in the little old town. She laid back and felt as if it would come when Henry reappeared.

* * *

**So can anyone figure out why I chose Lorelei for Ariel's cursed self's name? I hope that you guys liked this chapter...I updated it a bit sooner than planned but I just wanted to get it out. Sorry for any mistakes, I don't have a beta so if it says one work instead of another I apologize...one time I wrote big instead of book and then i noticed it when i read my work like months later, ugh i was so mad haha. Anyway let me know what you guys think of the story it'll mean a lot to me if did **

** - - Aly**


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